BNP's student wing, Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), is all set to announce its new central committee within the next one or two days as the existing committee is nearing the end of its tenure.
Meanwhile, JCD top leaders have already submitted a shortlist of candidates to BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, party insiders said on Friday.
Party sources said the new JCD committee would be declared after receiving the final green signal from the BNP chairman.
On Thursday night, Tarique, who is the organisational guardian of JCD, held a meeting with the top JCD leaders at his Gulshan political office.
Shedding light on the meeting with BNP chief, a JCD leader who was present said they were asked to submit their preferred choices for the new leadership. A list was conveyed to the BNP chairman through secret ballot. Following final scrutiny, the new committee will be announced.
After the meeting, both JCD President Md Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir wrote on their Facebook accounts about their struggles and experiences after taking charge of the committee.
"The July uprising was our toughest test. Maintaining the organisational structure at every level and inspiring the activists and members involved in the uprising were our biggest challenges," Nasir said in his Facebook post.
In his Facebook post, Rakib said coordinating with the Students Against Discrimination platform to organise programmes and playing an effective and courageous role on the streets during the uprising were the core achievements of his committee.
Following the meeting, tensions rose among those expecting to be selected for the new committee.
The candidates expect their contributions to the party during its period of struggle to be evaluated.
The names of several leaders are under discussion for top positions in the new JCD committee. They include Central Organisational Secretary Amanullah Aman, VPs Monjurul Alam Riyad, Khorshed Alam Sohel, Towhidur Rahman Awal, Md Kazi Zia Uddin Basit, Ijjajul Kabir Ruel, and HM Abu Jafar, and Reyad Rahman.
Also under discussion are Joint General Secretaries Maminul Islam Jisan, Ibrahim Khalil, Raju Ahmed, Faruk Hossain, and Md Mostafizur Rahman, as well as Joint General Secretaries Saleh Mohammad Adnan and Azizul Huq Jion.
Additionally, DU JCD VP Anisur Rahman Khandaker Anik, DU General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon, DU senior joint general secretary Nasiruddin Shawon, joint secretary Abidul Islam Khan and DU unit Organisational Secretary Nur Alam Bhuiyan Emon are also in the contention.
Additionally, JCD central Publicity Secretary Sharif Prodhan Shuvo (holding the rank of joint secretary), DU unit President Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas, and immediate past organisational secretary of Dhaka College unit Borhan Uddin Ishrak are also in contention.
Nahiduzzaman Shipon, general secretary of the DU JCD, said he expects a committee that is both youth-driven and experienced in organisational leadership.
“In the fascist regime, many JCD leaders had put their life in risk in times when party need them the most. We also expect these leaders to be properly evaluated in the selection,” Shipon said.
Anisur Rahman Khandaker Anik, DU JCD VP, who is also vying for the central committee top post, said student union elections at the public universities also should be among the priorities of the high command before leadership selection.
“Against the ground reality of JCD’s electoral debacle in the student union elections, the new committee should focus on the leadership having capacity to transform,” he said.
On March 1, 2024, Rakib and Nasir assumed charge as the president and general secretary of Chhatra Dal, respectively. Later that year, on June 15, a 260-member full committee was announced.
According to the draft constitution of JCD, the tenure of the central committee is two years. Accordingly, the term of the present committee expired on February 28.
A top JCD leader said there is also a high possibility of announcing the Dhaka University unit committee on the same day.
Among the frontrunners for the top leadership positions of the university unit are Tanvir Al Hadi (Mayed), convenor of Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit; Sheikh Tanvir Bari (Hamim), convenor of Kabi Jashim Uddin Hall unit; Bazlur Rahman (Bijoy), joint general secretary of the DU JCD; BM Kawsar and Md Al Amin; Abu Hayat Md Zulfikar Zisan, Literature and Publication Secretary; Tanvir Hasan, publicity secretary; Mehedi Hasan, International Affairs Secretary; and Ariful Islam, Hospitality Secretary.
